Kiss My Eyes and Lay Me to Sleep
by Chidori R. Fullbuster
Summary: The result of me listening to sad songs and being obsessed with Ten/Rose.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: So, this doesn't follow canon at all. I was listening to music and all of my thoughts are zoned into Rose and the Doctor (Ten) right now.**

* * *

Rose sat on the edge of the tub, sobbing into her hands. It had been two months since the Doctor had dropped her off in her mum's apartment, telling her that what he had to do next was too dangerous for her to come along: Two long months not knowing whether he was dead or alive, and now this.

"Rose?" Jackie called, her footsteps stopping outside the bathroom door. "Rose, darling, what's wrong?" But her daughter was unable to answer, sobs choking off her words every time she tried to speak. "Rose, I'm coming in, alright?"

Jackie walked in to see her daughter still in her robe, despite it being four in the afternoon, crying like a baby, multiple white sticks lying across the edge of the sink. "What's going on in here? What wrong?"

Rose shook her head, gesturing to the sink as she tried to stop her tears with the edge of her sleeves. Jackie frown, looking down at the white things littering the sink. Some had smiley faces, some had plus signs, and some had blue lines. Her eyes widened as she turned back to her daughter. "Are you…"

The girl nodded, tears streaking her face.

"…and is it…"

"Yeah…" she sniffled. "It's his." Her knees hit the floor and she began crying again. Jackie knelt beside her, gathering the girl in her arms, rubbing her back gently. "I don't know what to do," Rose sobbed. "I don't even know if he's dead or not!"

"Shh," Jackie hushed her daughter softly, stroking her hair. "You're going to have that child, and you're going to raise it up good and proper, alright? You love him and if he did die, that baby is all you have left of him."

Rose nodded, clinging tightly to her mother, the last of her tears soaking into her shirt.

* * *

Rose sighed, the red light of the microwave's clock taunting her with the time: fifteen past twelve, the morning of her twenty-third birthday. She hadn't been able to sleep the past few years. It was like her body kept her awake just so she could hear the sound of the TARDIS when it came back… if it ever came back….

"Mummy?" She turned around to see her four year-old, her long brown hair tousled from sleep.

"Stella, what are you doing up?"

Stella looked up at her mother, her big brown eyes filled with tears. "I had a bad dream."

"Did you?" Rose asked, picking up the little girl. "Well, what do you say we have a cup of tea and some biscuits then you can sleep in my room?

"Okay." The girl rested her head on her mother's shoulder. Rose smiled softly as she moved around the kitchen, fixing tea and fixing a plate with cookies.

They finally settled in the living room, a single lamp on and Stella curled against her mother's side as she nibbled on the cookie in her hand. "Mummy?"

"Yes, darling?" Rose asked, taking a sip of tea.

"Why don't I have a dad?"

Rose choked on her tea, quickly setting down her cup and turning to look at her daughter, who looked so much like the man who had left. "Well, sweetie..." she trailed off then sighed, picking up Stella and setting her on her lap. "Everyone has a mum and dad. It takes a mum and dad to make a baby."

Stella nodded, looking up at her mother with curiosity. "So where is he?"

The older woman sighed. "What do doctors do?"

"They help people."

"Exactly. Your dad is a doctor and he had to leave before you were born to go help people. He went so far away that he couldn't send a letter in the post or anything like that."

"But he's helping people, right?" Stella asked as a tiny smile stretched on her lips.

"Right and that's what he loves to do. He'll come back when he's done." She assured, though not sure who she was trying to convince at this point.

"That's what I want to do when I grow up."

"Do what, exactly?"

Stella beamed at her mother, looking so much like her father that Rose almost burst into tears. "I'm going to be a doctor!"

She laughed softly. "Sounds like a plan, sweetheart." Rose kissed her daughter's forehead. "Now, let's go to bed, alright?"

Stella nodded. "Oh, Mummy…"

"What is it, darling?"

"Happy birthday."

* * *

Stella Tyler walked out of the school building, clad in her uniform, backpack slung across her shoulder. She was number one in her class, again, and was a grade ahead of where she was supposed to be. At sixteen, she would be graduating that coming spring. The thought simultaneously enthralled and terrified her. She was closer to uni, closer to med school, but also so close to leaving behind her mum and gran.

As a little girl, she would sit on the balcony of their apartment, wishing on stars, praying her father would show up. Sixteen years of seeing her mother's tears had hardened her and she harbored some resentment for the man. Why couldn't he come back? What was more important than his family? Why didn't she even have his last name? She pushed the childish notion that he would come back aside and threw herself head-first into her studies.

A sound reached her ears, an almost grinding that flooded the street. Everyone around her continued on, oblivious to the sound. Not her: the noise seemed to resonate in her very bones. Without thinking, she started running in the direction it was coming from. She slowed down when the noise stopped, finding herself in an abandoned lot, a single, blue, 1950's police box in the middle of it.

Stella frowned, walking around the box warily. It felt as though something was drawing her to it, like her blood was screaming for her to just touch it. She came back around to the door, reaching a hand out to open it. Before she got the chance, the door flew open, revealing a man with dark hair, wearing a suit, Chuck Taylors and a trench-coat.

"What's the matter with you?" He demanded, staring at the school girl. "Didn't your parents ever teach you not to touch things that don't belong to you?"

Stella raised an eyebrow. "It says 'public,' plain as day on the outside. Last I checked, I was part of the public."

The man cocked his head to the side, taking her in. "What year is it?"

"Twenty-twenty one," She replied, rolling her eyes, beginning to walk away.

"Wait, what's your name!" The man yelled.

"Sorry, my mum told me to never talk to strangers."

"What about your dad?"

Stella turned around to glare at the man, her words soaked in venom. "Never met him." With that, she spun back around and began to stalk back to her apartment.

* * *

Her gran, or Jackie (as she insisted she wasn't old enough to be a grandmother), still worked as a hairdresser and her mum worked as a science teacher at the local primary school. Jackie would get home first and make a pot of tea for herself and her granddaughter, then begin on fixing dinner for the night. Stella's mother would get back later, press a quick kiss to her daughter's forehead as she did homework, then began on her lesson plans for the next week.

That night was no exception. The three women were gathered at the table, eating the fish and chips Jackie had prepared. Stella looked over to her mother, who, despite being in her late thirties, was still gorgeous and still unmarried.

"Mum, why don't you ever go out, y'know, enjoy yourself, meet new people?" Stella asked, picking at her chips unenthusiastically. She really didn't like them, but her mum and gran insisted on having them constantly.

"Because," Rose replied, taking a sip of tea. "I'm happy with how life is going. I have you, my old mum-,"

"Don't call me old," Jackie interrupted, glaring at her child.

Rose laughed before continuing. "And I have my students and a job I love. What more could I ask for?"

"Uh, a man, maybe?" Stella watched her mother and grandmother stiffen before continuing. "Come on, Mum, I've seen you looking at bridal magazines. You have a binder planning out your dream wedding, though I can't understand for the life of me why you would want that many desserts with banana in them. You just have to get out there and find someone!"

"I'm perfectly fine with the way things are, thank you," Rose replied, standing to take her sink to the plate.

Stella watched her sadly, feeling anger and resentment welling up in her chest. "It's because you're still waiting for him, isn't it?" The sound of ceramic shattering filled the room as the plate slipped from Rose's grip. Stella winced, but continued on. "It's been sixteen years, Mum. He's either dead or he moved on, more likely the second one. That's what you ne-,"

"Shut up!" Rose spun around, glaring at her daughter. "Don't talk about things you don't understand!"

"What's there not to understand?" Stella hadn't realized she had stood until she was mere feet from her mother. "He left! He knocked you up and ran and never looked back. What am I not understanding, Mum, please tell me!"

Rose shook her head, tears welling up in her eyes. "You're a child, you wouldn't understand. He loved me and h-,"

"Obviously he didn't if he left!"

Silence fell in the room. Her mother pushed past her to go to her room, followed by Jackie, who was carrying a fresh cup of tea. Stella sighed, grabbing her jacket from the coat-rack by the door, pulling it on over her tank top. She yanked on her red Converses before heading out into the night.


	2. Chapter 2

Stella ambled down the streets, sirens and yelling creating her background music. She pushed back a strand of her hair before shoving her hands in her pockets, frowning. She shouldn't have snapped at her mother, she knew that. But it was so infuriating seeing her mother, who had gone through hell to get through school, work, and raise her, spend so much time pining after a man who was clearly not coming back.

She gritted her teeth, reaching into her coat pocket to make sure it was still there. She flipped it open, revealing an I.D. card of her, claiming she was nineteen. She smirked, slipping it back into her pocket. She had found it one day while she had been cleaning for her mum. She didn't know why her mother had a false I.D. made for her, but on nights like this, she was thankful for it. Besides, what better way to spend a Friday night than at the bar? She continued making her way down the street, unaware of the footsteps behind her.

The bouncer let her in with an affirmative nod, opening the door for her. She strode in, making a beeline for the bar. She ordered her drink, handing over the notes before taking an appreciative swing of her drink. It was good to be out of the apartment, away from Jackie's fussiness and her mother's desperation. She was a teenager: she got top marks and stressed herself over school, she deserved this every once and a while.

She finished off her beer, deciding against a second one. Her mum and grandmother were most likely already in bed, so getting back and not getting caught would be simple. She was halfway to the door when a small group of guys stopped her, all sporting messy haircuts and ratty clothing.

"Hey, princess, where do you think you're going? Just going to drink and ditch?" One of them taunted, smirking at her. "You're too pretty to be alone."

"Bugger off." She pushed her way through two of them, only to have one grab her arm.

"Whoa, there's no reason for you to be rude to us. We just want to make sure you're not alone," the one who had her arm commented, a nasty grin on his face. "There are some rubbish people out there that would love to get their hands on a pretty thing like you."

"Let go and leave me alone!" She shouted, but the music muffled her, causing the boys to snicker. The first speaker stepped forward stroking her cheek. She cringed, expecting the worse, his fingers cold…

"There you are!" The group of them looked toward the voice. Stella recognized the man from earlier that day, the one who had been in the police box. "I've been looking all over for you, young lady! You're in a heap of trouble!"

The guys around her dispersed quickly, releasing her and shoving her toward the strange man. She bit her lip and quickly stuttered out, "Wh-what are-,"

"We're going home," he cut her off, turning to walk to the door. Stella stayed frozen, until he turned back to her, frustration on his features. "What are you waiting for? Allons-y!"

* * *

The pair of them walked down the street in an awkward silence, Stella fidgeting with her I.D. "Thank you," she finally spoke, looking over at the man.

"Oh, there's no need to thank me." He smiled at her. "I'm the Doctor, by the way."

"Doctor who?"

"Just the Doctor, and since I rescued you, I think I deserve to know your name now."

She hesitated, looking at the Doctor. He had a quirky charm about him that seemed vaguely familiar, though she couldn't quite place where she had seen it before. She wasn't completely sure he wouldn't try to drag her down an alleyway (or back to his police box) and try to force himself on her. However, he hadn't done anything to prove himself untrustworthy. "I'm Stella."

"Good to meet you, Stella. I have a question for you." She nodded at him, waiting for him to go on. "Earlier, you were in a school uniform. How old are you and how on earth did you get into that place?"

She fought back the urge to roll her eyes. "I'm sixteen and I got in with this." She reached into her pocket and pulled out her I.D, showing it to her companion. "See, just a standard fake identity card."

The Doctor stopped dead in his tracks. "Where did you get that?"

"I found it when I was cleaning one day. What's the big d- Hey!"

He snatched it out of her hands, eyes widening as he stared at the slip in his hands. "Where did you get psychic paper?"

"What?"

He held the paper toward her, eyebrows furrowed. "What's it say?"

"It says…" She trailed off. "It's a coupon for a free order of fish and chips at that restaurant on the river."

"Psychic paper: it shows whatever you want it to." He tucked it away in his pocket and started walking again.

Stella caught up to him, eyes wide. "Psychic paper? It can't be psychic! Everyone knows that rubbish doesn't exist!"

"Shows how much you know about the world," the Doctor retorted as they made their way up the stairs to the apartment. He looked around, frowning. "You live here?"

"Yeah, what's the matter with that?" She demanded as they made it onto her landing.

"I knew a couple people that lived here once upon a time."

Once she got to the door, she turned to face him "Well, thank you so much for escorting me home, but I think you should go now."

He shook his head. "You think I'm just going to drop you off? No, I think your parents should know what you've been up to."

"Parent," she gritted back at him. "And, no, it's not your place to say anything." Their voices escalated as they argued, neither of them noticing when the door was flung open, revealing a very angry looking Jackie in her dressing gown.

"Stella Jacqueline Tyler, what are you doing out of the apartment, much less causing a bloody racket at this time of night?" The woman glared at her granddaughter. "Is that alcohol on your breath? What the hell have you been doing?"

Before Stella could defend herself, the Doctor spoke, awe coloring his voice. "Jackie?"

Jackie turned in irritation, obviously on the verge of releasing a verbal lashing. All of the rage seeped out of her face as her eyes caught sight of the man standing in her doorway. "Oh my god, it's you."


	3. Chapter 3

Stella stepped back as her grandmother approached the Doctor, surprise written over her aged features. So it came as a shock when a loud 'slap' rang out around them, the Doctor clutching his face in shock.

"Serves you right for thinking you can just waltz back up here like you haven't been gone," she snapped, glaring at him. She sighed and started heading back into the apartment. "I guess I'd better make some tea."

Stella followed, sitting at the kitchen table, only to be joined by the Doctor a few moments later. "So, do you care to tell me how you know my Gran?" She asked casually, trying to make sense of the situation.

"Well, I met her about….wait? Did you just call her Gran? As in, she's your grandmother?"

"Um, yeah, why?"

The Doctor's head dropped into his hands. "Well, I was gone a lot longer than I thought. Should have figured she'd move on."

"Hold on a minute, how long did you think you were gone?" Jackie demanded, setting the cups on the table.

"One year, two at the most," he admitted. "How long has it been?"

"Sixteen years, sixteen bloody years you've been off gallivanting through time and space!" Jack spat, taking a sip of her tea.

The Doctor looked insulted. "_Gallivanting?_ I haven't been _gallivanting_! I've been fighting a _war_! I brought her back so she'd be safe, like I promised you!"

"Wait, what do you mean 'time and space?' That's just a figure of speech, right?" Stella cut in, looking back and forth between the two of them.

The two adults looked at one another, the weight of the situation obviously settling in. Before either one could say anything, Rose's voice rang through the kitchen.

"It's almost midnight, why aren't you lot asleep?" She demanded as she came into the room, running a hand back through her hair. She blinked as she looked at the three people sitting around the table, her eyes freezing when they landed on the Doctor. "Oh my god."


End file.
